Acts # 11 Study Guide

of circumcision to bring about greater unity among the believers? â¢ What benefit did it serve to send Judas and Silas to personally deliver the letter to the Gentiles ...

Part 11: “The Nature of The Gospel” How Does The Church Grow? •

The Power of The _____________ ________________

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The Power of Prevailing ________________________

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The Reality of The _____________________________

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The Power of The _______________________________

The Jerusalem Council: So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. Acts 15:1-2 Question #1: Is There Anything We Must Do To Be Saved ____________________ From Faith Through Grace Alone? 9 He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” Acts 15: 9-11

“The Law Was Not Given To Us Not So That We Might Be Saved By It But Rather The Law Was Given So That We Would Realize Our Need For A Savior” 1. We Drift From ____________________ To Tradition 2. We Drift From ____________________ To Law 3. We Drift From _____________________________ To Conformity

“Don’t Judge Someone’s Heart Based On Whether Or Not They Conform To Your Outward Expectation” Question #2: How Is ___________________________ Established, If The Gentiles Don't Have To Become Ritualistically Jews? “…we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood…” Acts 15: 20

“As Christians We Submit To The Law Of Love And Love requires That We Willingly Lay Down Our Freedoms So That Our Brothers And Sisters Might Flourish.”

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Read Acts 15:1-21 and answer the following questions. • Why did the Pharisees want the apostles and elders to require the Gentiles to be circumcised? •

In verse 20, James gives four requirements for the Gentiles. What are they? What reason did James give for fulfilling these requirements?

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How do you see the Holy Spirit working in the hearts of men in this passage?

Read Acts 15:22-35 and answer the following questions. • What message would have been communicated to the Gentiles if they had been required to be circumcised? •

The answer to this disagreement came after a time of “unsettling” (v. 24). How did the Lord use the question of circumcision to bring about greater unity among the believers?

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What benefit did it serve to send Judas and Silas to personally deliver the letter to the Gentiles?

Read Galatians 3:23-29 and answer the following questions. • How does this passage relate to the passage we read in Acts? •

When God calls you an adopted son or daughter, what weight does it carry? In what ways do you struggle with that identity?

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In what ways might you be trying to add unnecessary “law” to your faith in the same way the Pharisees wanted to add circumcision to faith? Are there ways in which you are trying to save yourself and forsaking faith alone?

Next Steps: • Most believers wouldn’t say they need to work for their salvation, but there are many of us who still feel the need to gain God’s acceptance or the approval of others in order to be loved. Think about ways you are trying to add to Christ’s finished work on the cross to gain salvation. •

Confess your areas of “law” to someone who will follow up with you in a week and pray for you.

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Pray for those close to you and ask the Lord to use you as a minister of His grace in their lives. Seek to learn how to specifically pray for them against the sin they are struggling with.